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    Joined: Sep 2009
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    JenSMP Offline OP
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    My son is struggling with memorizing math facts, specifically multiplication facts at the moment. Math concepts are rarely an issue, however memorization/recall is a struggle. Working memory and processing speed are significantly impaired, so I'm looking for programs or ideas specifically designed or particularly useful for children with ADHD.

    DS8 is in 3rd grade (Montessori), and whatever they are doing is not working. We've tried computer programs, including online programs, but because ds is quite anxious, it turns into nightmare every time. His anxiety goes through the roof if he is timed, and I have yet to find a program that eliminates the time component but still holds his interest.

    It doesn't have to be a computer program. I just tried that first because I thought it would appeal to him. I learned using the traditional "multiplication table," but I have a feeling that will not be the answer. Thanks so much for any advice or suggestions you can offer.

    Joined: Jan 2010
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    Montessori schools traditionally don't focus on memorization. You may just need to do flashcards daily and buy a Math Minute book to try timed math tests. Our son doesn't have ADHD but has a documented processing learning disability. He has extended time for tests but has never used. Doing flashcards every day for 6 months has helped alot, plus doing some Kumon workbooks. It could just be practice, practice, practice.

    Joined: Sep 2008
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    have you tried " Multiplication the fun way"? My dd was able to memorize fact with the stories. Right now she can recall with just a "key word". She is allowed to have her "key word" sheets for high stakes testing...it is helpful for her.

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    Our DD hates drills but enjoys math; nonetheless learning math facts was kind of a drag. Two essentially free and easy math fact games we learned about from her first wonderful teacher were math War and math dice. In each you play two at once (cards or dice) and perform a math operation on the resulting numbers; you can keep score for the highest cumulative result or same but deduct a point if a player miscalculates. Operation can be specified or not. Much more enjoyable for DD than worksheets or flash cards.

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    My son finally bought into memorizing his tables when I had him keep a graph of his time getting though a set of flash cards (0 - 12). I said when he got under 3 min three times in a row, I'd buy him a book. Took a bit, but he's much faster with them now!

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    Does he really need to memorize his multiplication facts yet? Some kids just really aren't ready developmentally for quick math facts until they are a little older - some as old as 5th/6th grade. My 2e ds who has dysgraphia was really challenged with memorizing math facts, but he had a huge leap where he suddenly got much quicker at it that I think was associated with maturing executive function as he neared puberty (that's all just a guess on my part, but I think no amount of making him try to memorize them so that he would have quicker recall would have worked until he was at the stage where his brain was ready for it.

    My dd8 has a weakness with associative memory, and she's actually not that bad with math facts (compared to my ds at 8).... but fwiw it's been recommended that she be given a multiplication chart at her desk at school and allowed to use it for math work during class until she has the facts committed to memory. Our ds is older but has an accommodation to be able to use his calculator for math facts etc.
    I don't think it's unreasonable at 8, if you have a child with a disability such as ADHD, to pull back a little bit on the math facts and give them an accommodation, then try to focus on quick recall of the facts 1-2 years from now. But that's just me smile

    Best wishes,

    polarbear

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    JenSMP Offline OP
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    Thanks for all the ideas! I think he'd really like the dice game. Also, polarbear, I agree that he may just not be ready. If he had a multiplication chart (cheat sheet) that he could use when doing other math operations, I actually think he'd eventually memorize them just from exposure. That's how he is with many things. If he refers to the chart on a regular basis, I think he'd eventually rely on it less and less. Anyway, if anyone has other ideas, I'm all ears. Thanks so much for the suggestions you've already provided.

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    From http://england.tasis.com/page.cfm?p=837
    Dr. Wenda Sheard
    Quote
    Electronic Brain-Friendly Flashcards

    No matter how instantly available information becomes in the future, I believe memorization will always have a place in education. However, that place need not be back with the dinosaurs. Memorization tasks benefit greatly from electronic assistance. Let me explain.

    Some foreign language students think nothing of memorizing large numbers of foreign words, and some medical students think nothing of memorizing large numbers of medical terms. Their trick? Electronic flashcard programs that adjust the frequency and timing of the cards in a manner that neuroscience has found most conducive to the creation of long-term memory. What the programs do, in effect, is show a person a particular flashcard and then ask how well the person knows the flashcard. When the flashcard next appears depends both on when it last appeared and on how well the person reported knowing the card. New cards appear frequently; known cards appear less and less frequently as time goes on.


    To learn more about electronic flashcard programs, I recommend you visit both the Anki and the Pauker websites. Anki is from Japan; Pauker is from Germany. Both websites offer free electronic flashcard programs, request donations to support their work, and explain why spaced repetition is an effective learning strategy. See http://ankisrs.net/ and http://pauker.sourceforge.net/ The latter website explains, “Pauker uses a combination of ultra-short-term, short-term, and long-term memory. You can use it to learn all the things efficiently you never want to forget, like vocabulary, capitals, important dates, etc.”
    I haven't tried these, but I'm looking forward to it.
    Smiles,
    Grinity


    Coaching available, at SchoolSuccessSolutions.com
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    JenSMP Offline OP
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    Thanks Grinity. I use spaced retrieval therapy with my dementia patients on a regular basis. Why it didn't occur to me to apply the same theory to my son's math fact memorization, I do not know! ; ) The only thing is, he nearly has a panic attack when you pull out a flash card! I paid for the math program Timez Attack, and he freaked out about the first few times we tried. I called and they told me how to remove the timer, but you can't go to the next level unless each level is completed with a timer. With spaced retrieval, it's not about speed or response time. It's about gradually spacing the time between presentation in order to promote storage from immediate memory to short term memory to long-term memory. I'm going to try this for sure! Thanks for sharing. Hope you are well!

    I will definitely check out the websites.

    Joined: Dec 2010
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    My DS8 3rd grade(PG (with average PSI) & ADHD)enjoys Archademic Skill Builders (you may need a log in because he does it at school too) because they have some games that are not timed.

    A few media tools that we have used are a multiplication CD that puts the times table to 10 to music and there is also an old school house rock video that he really enjoyed.

    Another accomodation that we have used that has been very successful has been to incorporate movement into the practice. For instance,DS and DH would be playing catch with the football, I (or DH if I am not around) call out the problem, DS runs out for a pass, answers the problem and gets the pass. He absolutely loves tthis type of learning (actually they both do).

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